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Indulge your inner pirate. The British Virgin Islands (BVI) in the Caribbean Sea have plenty of uninhabited coves to pull into, towns to plunder, floating bars to revive at, and protected reefs and wrecks to dive (suitable for all levels). The islands are still recovering from two devastating hurricanes in 2017 – your visit can help.
DIVING IN THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
BVI has long been beloved by divers for its reefs and wrecks, and there are some famous wrecks here, like the R.M.S. Rhone, which was sunk by a hurricane in 1867. (It can be snorkeled or dived.) With warm, clear water (vis is around 65 feet / 20 m) and variety of sites, BVI has something for divers of all levels, and it’s a great place to learn to dive.
DIVE SHOPS IN THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
We dove with Sail Caribbean Divers. They have a shop down the beach from Cooper Island Beach Club and a nicely set-up dive boat. We also dove on the Cuan Law, a sailing vessel which can access more off-the-beaten-track sites.
THINGS TO DO IN THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
BVI can be explored from a liveaboard or an island base. Boats provide freedom to go where the wind takes you. Island bases offer large and comfortable rooms and a central base from which to explore. BVI’s land-based activities revolve around half- or full-day trips – think island tours and snorkel excursions, day-sails and day-hikes.
DON’T MISS
A tour of The Baths on Virgin Gorda, a spectacular maze of natural rock formations enclosing secret turquoise sea pools and pockets of sandy beaches.
BEST PLACE TO STAY IN THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
On land: Cooper Island Beach Club is a small, peaceful resort on Cooper Island that livens up every evening with visitors. They are actively working to reduce their environmental impact and are committed to supporting sustainable tourism in BVI.
At sea: The Cuan Law has 10 comfortable staterooms, each with a private bathroom. This is a special, elegant ship, great for making holiday memories with family or groups of friends.
BEST RESTAURANT OR BAR IN THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
Cooper Island Beach Club’s Rum Bar boasts the largest selection of rum in BVI.
TRAVEL ADVICE (INSIDER TIP)
June through November is the Named Storm (i.e. hurricane) season. Many places close mid-August through late October, when there is the greatest possibility of storms. BVI isn’t the place to skimp on travel insurance, as hurricanes have a habit of changing plans.
Tourists understandably avoid places struck by natural disasters, but that leaves communities struggling with a loss of income, as well as recovery. In the Caribbean, where tourism accounts for 35 percent of the economy (one in three jobs), that loss can be catastrophic. Visiting helps destinations recover, but you have to walk a fine line: “disaster tourism” (i.e. rubber-necking at an accident), or visiting while relief efforts are still underway and essentials such as water and food are in short supply, isn’t helpful. But once the community says it’s open for business, visitors bring a welcome infusion of money, as well as much-needed outside perspectives. What else can you do besides visit? Support places that are investing in sustainable, resilient solutions—i.e. rebuilding in the right way.
If you enjoyed this, you’ll love A Diver’s Guide to the World. Pick up your copy today and start exploring!
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